Combination steaming and pressing device



Jan. 14, 1969 s. R. BRICKER COMBINATION STEAMING AND PRESSING DEVICE Sheet of 2 Filed June 6, 1967 INVENTOR Samuel R. Bricker BY AGENT Jan. 14, 1969 s. R. BRICKER COMBINATION STEAMING AND PRESSING DEVICE Sheet Filed June 6. 1967 United States Patent Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A compact hand-held device for pressing garments or fabrics with or without steam. Since the device is compact resulting in a high heat density per unit of area of its casing, the device is provided with a unique heat shield to which a heater and pressing plate are mounted and which provides air gaps between it and the heater and the casing for reducing the quantity of heat transferred to the casing; the heat shield further has structure carried thereby which supports a water tank or reservoir within the confines of the casing to allow for simultaneous steaming and pressing.

Background of the invention This invention relates, in general, to garment and fabric pressing devices and, more particularly, to devices of this type which are hand-held and compact and which utilize steam as auxiliary means for removing wrinkles and fixing or forming creases.

In order to gain wholehearted acceptance, a device of the type herein contemplated must be compact to facilitate handling and transporting thereof and also, it must not impose discomfort when used.

Heretofore, pressing devices of the hand-held type did not utilize steam as an auxiliary means to accomplish certain intended purposes, consequently, the requisite wattage output of heat was not nearly as high, say 300 watts, as is the requirement when converting water to steam, for example 500 watts. It will be appreciated that one is confronted with certain problems due to the greater amount of energy to be dissipated in a device of approximately the same size or even smaller.

Accordingly, the general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved compact pressing device.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a new and improved hand-held pressing device which is compact and is provided with a steaming function.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved pressing device which can be manufactured inexpensively and which is simple in construction and which can be readily assembled.

Summary Briefly, the above-cited objects are accomplished in the present invention by providing a pressing device comprising a casing having two sections. A heater structure and heat shield are supported by one of the casing sections and are spaced one from the other and from the casing to minimize heat transfer from the heater to the casing. The heater structure comprises a pressing plate which cooperates with a similar pressing plate secured in operative relationship to the heater structure so that all of the operative elements, including a switch control, are mounted on the one casing section. The heater structure is fastened to the heat shield which is, in turn, secured to the casing section by a pair of setscrews carried by the casing section and which engage upturned flanges of the heat shield. The two casing sections are provided at their mating surfaces with a tongue and groove ar- 3,421,237 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 "ice rangement which allows the sections to be secured one to the other b means of a single screw.

A bracket carried by the heat shield serves to support a water tank or reservoir within a cavity formed between the two housing sections.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in view of the following detailed description and the drawings forming a part hereof.

Description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a pressing device representing the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, partially broken away, of one end of the device illustrated in FIGURE 1, emphasizing certain fastening means employed;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line IIIIII of FIGURE 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line IVIV of FIGURE 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line V-V of FIGURE 3; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of one end of a heater structure, partly broken away, incorporated in the device shown in FIGURE 1.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring to the drawings, especially FIGURES 1 and 2, reference character 10 designates generally a pressing device comprising sections 11 and 12 forming a casing having a front 13, a rear wall 14, a top end 15, a bottom end 16 and sidewalls 17 and 18.

The sidewalls 17 and 18 form a cavity 19 therebetween for receiving a water tank or reservoir 20 which serves to introduce water into a steam chamber 22 of a heater structure 23 (see FIGURE 6) to be discussed hereinafter. An outlet, not shown, in the bottom of the tank 20 extends into an inlet opening 24 (FIGURES 2 and 6) when the tank is positioned in the cavity 19.

The casing section 11, made from any suitable low heat conducting materials, for example, plastic, is provided with a peripheral flange 25 (see FIG. 3) which is generally perpendicular to the plane of the sidewall 17 and disposed on the inner surface thereof. A pair of posts 26 and 27 are provided, one each, with tapped bores 28 and 28 for receiving a pair of dog point setscrews 9. The inner surface of the wall 17 is also provided with a plurality of integrally molded pads 29 having disposed on the top surfaces thereof a plurality of .020 inch high bosses 30 having approximately a .040" diameter.

A heat shield 31 to which a heater structure 23 (see FIGURE 6) is secured by means of screws 33 is supported on the bosses 30 and held in place through engagement of flange portions 34 (FIG. 3) and 34' on the heat shield 31 by the dog point setscrews 9. The screws are inserted through suitable spacers 35 for attaching the heat shield and the heater one to the other. It will be appreciated from the foregoing that heat flow from the heater 23 to the sidewalls 17 is reduced to a tolerable level by an air space or gap 36 which is provided between the heater structure 23 and the heat shield 31 by means of the spacers 35 and an air space 37 which is provided between the sidewalls 17 and the heat shield 31 by means of the pads 29 and the bosses 30. It will further be appreciated that the bosses 30 because of their dimension aid in the minimization of heat flow to the sidewalls 17 from the heater structure 32.

The heater structure 23 comprises two halves 38 and 38', the former of which is provided with a pressing plate or surface 39. Attached to the heater structure 23 by means of a Z-shaped bracket 8 is a second pressing plate or surface 40 (see FIGURE 2). The plate 40 is adapted 3 to be moved away from the plate 39 by actuating means generally indicated at 41 and 42, the purpose being to facilitate insertion of a fabric or garment between the plates 39 and 40.

A cavity 43 is provided in the sidewall 17 for mounting of a switch control, not shown. The sidewall 17 is further provided with an aperture 44 through which an elongated screw 45 is inserted for mating with a tapped post member 46 molded integrally in the sidewall 1-8. A tongue 47 in groove 48 provided in the mating surfaces 49 and 49' of the sidewalls 17 and 18 permits utilization of a single screw for holding the casing sections 11 and 12 together.

An L-shaped flange 50 of the heat shield 31 has a bottom wall 51 which serves to support the water tank 20 within the cavity 19.

Since numerous changes may be made in the described apparatus and diflferent embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. Structure for supporting a heater in the casing of a hand-held pressing device having a rather small area relative to the amount of heat to be dissipated by the heater, a heat shield disposed intermediate one wall of said casing and said heater, means for mounting said heater to said heat shield, means intermediate said heater and said heat shield for minimizing the transfer of heat from the former to the latter, means intermediate said heat shield and said casing for minimizing the heat transfer therebetween, and means carried by said casing engaging said heat shield for securing said heat shield and said heater to said casing, said means engaging said heat shield being adjustable for facilitating the securing and removal of said heat shield to and from said casing.

2. Structure for supporting a heater in the casing of a hand-held pressing device having a rather small area relative to the amount of heat to be dissipated by the heater, a heat shield disposed intermediate one wall of said casing and said heater, means for mounting said heater to said heat shield, means intermediate said heater and said heat shield for minimizing the transfer of heat from the former to the latter, means intermediate said heat shield and said casing for minimizing the heat transfer therebetween, and means carried by said casing engaging said heat shield for securing said heat shield and said heater to said casing, said means intermediate said heater and said heat shield comprising a plurality of elements whose surface area is small relative to the area of said heat shield and serve to provide an air space between said heat shield and said heater.

3. Structure as specified in claim 2, wherein said means disposed between said heat shield and said casing comprises elements whose area is small relative to the area of said casing and which serve to space the heat shield from the casing to provide an air gap therebetween.

4. Structure as specified in claim 3, wherein each of said elements disposed between said heat shield and said casing comprise a pad integral to the casing and carrying a small boss thereon to provide a heat break between the pad and the heat shield.

5. Structure for supporting a heater in the casing of a hand-held pressing device having a rather small area relative to the amount of heat to be dissipated by the heater, a heat shield disposed intermediate one wall of said casing and said heater, means for mounting said heater to said heat shield, means intermediate said heater and said heat shield for minimizing the transfer of heat from the former to the latter, means intermediate said heat shield and said casing for minimizing the heat transfer therebetween, and means carried by said casing engaging said heat shield for securing said heat shield and said heater to said casing, said heater comprising an integral pressing plate and wherein a second pressing plate is provided, means carried by said pressing plates for securing one to the other whereby said heater; heat shield; and said pressing plates being supported on said casing section, said casing comprising two sections and said heat shield; heater; and said pressing plates being carried by one of said sections, means for fastening said casing sections one to the other, bracket means carried by said heat shield intermediate said casing sections for supporting a water tank.

6. Structure for supporting a heater in the casing of a hand-held pressing device having a rather small area relative to the amount of heat to be dissipated by the heater, :a heat shield disposed intermediate one wall of said casing and said heater, means for mounting said heater to said heat shield, means intermediate said heater and said heat shield for minimizing the transfer of heat from the former to the latter, means intermediate said heat shield and said casing for minimizing the heat transfer therebetween, and means carried by said casing engaging said heat shield for securing said heat shield and said heater to said casing, said heater comprising an integral pressing plate and wherein a second pressing plate is provided, means carried by said pressing plates for securing one to the other whereby said heater; heat shield; and said pressing plates being supported on said casing section, said casing comprising two sections and said heat shield; heater; and said pressing plates being carried by one of said sections, means for fastening said casing sections one to the other, said fastening means comprising a single screw and a tongue and groove arrangement in mating portions of said casing sections.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,474,833 11/1923 Hauptman 38-71 X 2,461,006 2/ 1949 Sowers 37-71 2,748,511 6/ 1956 Pezza 3871 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

